REGULATION OF ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGE FUNCTION

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. This project evaluates how the lung changes so that disease develops in response to environmental exposures, like asbestos. The normal lung is relatively resistant to disease. A number of changes occur in the lung with the development of disease. One change that occurs is that alveolar macrophages in the lung change so that they can express new genes. These genes allow the lung to express more inflammation and to develop fibrosis or scarring. The focus of this protocol is on the expression of AP-1 by alveolar macrophages. Normal macrophages do not express AP-1 but alveolar macrophages from patients with disease do express this factor. These investigators determine conditions that allow macrophages to express AP-1 and determine why normal macrophages do not express this factor. They also correlate these findings with alveolar macrophages from patients with asbestosis.